Tuning dial for radios



TUNING DIAL FOR RADIOS Filed Dec. 26. 1930 INVENTOR q, 1 ATTORNEYS WIYNESE:

Patented Feb. 23, 1932 v PATENT? OFFICE JOSEPH J'. WARREN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

TUNING DIAL FOR RADIOS Application. filed December 28, 1930. Serial No. 504,883.

This invention relates to a tuning'dial or drum for radios, the general object of the invention being to provide means for moving the drum bodily while it is being rotated so that the station characters thereon can be arranged in such a manner on the drum or dial that they can be easily read and a greater number of characters can be placed on the drum than is possibleavith the dial now in use.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter full described, illustrated in the accompanying rawings and specificalttl ly pointed out in the appended claims.

in describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through a radio device, showing the invention in use.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view 325 through Figure 1.

I Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view of the spirally grooved hollow shaft.

Figure 5 is an end view of said shaft.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing a modification.

in the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a shaft having a non-circular part journalcd in a part of the radio device and one end of which is connected by the gears 2 to the shaft 3 which carries the knob 4, the other end of the shaft 1 being connected by the gears 5 with a shaft 6 which operates the tuning con densers. A hollow shaft 7 encircles the circular part of the shaft 1 and has a square end fitting in a square opening in the bracket 8 in which the shaft 1 is journaled so that this shaft '71 is held against rotary movement. This shaft 7 is formed with an exterior spiral groove 9.

The hub 10 of a drum or dial 11 has a noncircular opening in one end thereof through which the shaft 1 passes and this hub has its 150 major portion hollow for receiving a part of the shaft 7. The hub is formed with an internal spiral rib 12 for engaging the groove 9. Thus as the shaft 1 is turned by the rotary movement of the shaft 3, the drum is rctated and is caused to move endwise through means of the engagement of the rib 12 with the groove 9 and this movement of the drum is synchronous with the movement of the tuning condensers.

The exterior part of the drum carries the station indicating characters 13 which are arranged in a spiral so that these characters will be visible through a window 14 in the apparatus as the drum is moved. The char acters may be arranged on a tape which is suitably fastened to the drum in a" spiral manner and the parts may be made transparent or translucent so that a lamp 14, projecting into the drum, will illuminate the characters as they appear at the window. Of course, the light may be otherwise arranged.

In the modification shown in Figure 6, the drum 11 has a spiral rib 15 on its circumference for engaging grooves in projections 16 on the casing of the apparatus so that these grooves and ribs impart an endwise movement to the drum and the internal groove and rib are eliminated.

Thus I have provided a dial or drum which is rotated and moved endwise so that the characters on the drum will be moved across the window and wave lengths or characters on the drum may be spread out much more than is possible on a drum or dial whichhas only a rotary movement.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the comhination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In a radio device, a rotatable shaft, a light emitting drum supported for. rotary and endwise movement on said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, means associated with the hub of said drum for moving the drum endwisc on the shaft as the same is rotated and station characters on the drum spirally arranged thereon.

' tated and station characters on the drum spirally arranged thereon, the means for moving the drum endwise comprising a stationary member on said shaft having a spiral groove therein and the hub of the drum having a spiral rib thereon engaging the groove. 3. In a radio device, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a light emitting drum having a hub portion slidably mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, means for-rotating said shaft, and means on said shaft associated with the hub of said drum for moving the drimi longitudinally on said shaft as the same is rotated. j I

4. In a radio device, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a light emitting drum having a hub portion slidably mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, means for rotating said shaft, a stationary member mounted on said shaft and having a spiral groove formed therein and a spiral rib on the hub of said drum engaging the groove in said stationarymember where y said drum is moved endwise on said shaft asthe same is rotated.

5. In a radio device, the combination of a rotatable shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a closure for said shaft having a viewing aper ture formed therein, a source of light within said closure and opposite said aperture, a light emitting drum within said closure surrounding said light source and having a series of characters spirally arranged thereon, and having a hub portion slidably mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, and means on said shaft associated with the hub of said drum and rendered effective by the rotating of said shaft for shifting said drum laterally on said shaft during rotation there of whereby said spirally arranged characters thereon are successively moved between said light source and said aperture.

6. In a radio device, the combination of a within said closure and opposite said window,

alight emitting drum rotatable with said shaft and surrounding said light source and I having a series of characters spirally arranged thereon, means for rotating said shaft and drum, means on said shaft associated with the hub of said drum for moving said drum longitudinallyon said shaft as the same is rotated whereby said spirally arran ed characters are successively positioned tween the light source and said window, said means including a stationary member on said shaft having a s iral groove formed therein and the hub 0 said drum. having a s iral rib thereon engaging the groove in sai stationarymember. 8. In a radio device, the combination of an adjustable member, a rotatable shaft, means connecting said adJustable member and said shaft, means for rotatin said shaft so as to adjust said member to ifierent ositions, a closure for said member and shaft having a window formed therein, a source of light within said closure and opposite said window, a light emittin surrounding said light and having a hub ortion slidably mounted on said shaft an rotatable therewith, station marking indicia spirally arranged'on said drum, and means formoving the drum endwlse on rotation of ranged station markings are moved between said light source and said window, said last mentioned means including a stationary drum within said closure said shaft whereby successive spirally armember on said shaft having a. s iral groove formed in the periphery thereo and an internally extending spiral rib formed on the hub port-ion of said drum and on aging said spiral groove whereby the hub 05 said drum is threaded onto and ofi'of said member as the drum is rotated.

In testimony whereof I afiix m si ature.

JOSEPH J. AR EN.

rotatable shaft, a closure for said shaft having a window formed therein, a source of light within said closure and opposite said window, a light emitting drum having a hub portion mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith and surrounding said light source and having a series of characters spirally arranged thereon, means for rotatin said shaft 

